Disaster Preparedness For Your Home and Yard

Hopefully, you and your family have a plan should disaster strike. At the minimum, you should have an evabuation plan, as well as a kit with food, first aid kit, and other supplies.

You can also make small changes in your house to be prepared for an emergency. Take care of these, and check on them frequently so you know what to do when the unthinkable happens.

1. Know where the water, gas power shut offs are

If you need to evacuate, it’s a good idea to shut off the water and gas as well as the electrical power to your home. This can reduce the risk of further damage to your home.

2. Prep your yard.

Maintain your trees and shrubs so diseased or weakened branches won’t fall down and damage your property. Don’t keep debris piled up next to your home, as they can catch fire and cause flames to spread.

3. Stockpile sandbag materials.

If you live in a flood prone area, keep sandbags on hand or the materials to make them. It takes 100 sandbags to create a 1-foot-tall wall that’s 20 feet long. If you’re filling bags on the fly, two adults can create the wall in about an hour.